Lead Health Data Scientist - Policy Analytics

Engineering Management Student Association (EMSA); Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 106,000 - 122,000; Full time

Job summary

USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics in Los Angeles is seeking a Research Data Scientist (HR title: Research Programmer II) for a 1-year fixed-term, full-time position with a hybrid work arrangement. The role involves leading analyses on large-scale health care data, building analytic infrastructure, and mentoring junior staff to translate data into policy-relevant insights.

Requires a Master’s degree and 5+ years in statistical programming with SAS/R/Python, plus health data

Qualifications

• MA/MS in statistics, data science, economics, applied mathematics, or related quantitative field (or equivalent combined education and work experience)
• 5+ years of experience with statistical programming (e.g., SAS, R, Python)
• Experience with administrative health care claims data (Medicare, Medicaid, or commercial)
• Experience with SQL, data warehouses (e.g., Snowflake), and cloud platforms (e.g., AWS)
• Demonstrated experience leading analytic efforts and contributing to research projects
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to develop innovative solutions for complex data challenges
• Eligibility to work in the U.S. (no visa sponsorship available)

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute complex data analyses using large-scale health care data (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid, commercial claims)
• Design and build data pipelines, research tools, and analytic infrastructure
• Ensure data quality and reproducibility through rigorous quality assurance processes
• Manage projects, including timelines, deliverables, and coordination with cross-functional team members
• Supervise and mentor junior staff
• Translate complex data into actionable insights to support policy-relevant research
• Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time

Skills

Statistical programming

Project leadership

Policy research

Data visualization

Education

Master's degree in a quantitative field

MA/MS in statistics, data science, economics, applied mathematics, or related field

Tools

SAS

R

Python

SQL

Snowflake

AWS

Job description

USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics in Los Angeles is seeking a Research Data Scientist (HR title: Research Programmer II) for a 1-year fixed-term, full-time position with a hybrid work arrangement. The role involves leading analyses on large-scale health care data, building analytic infrastructure, and mentoring junior staff to translate data into policy-relevant insights.

Requires a Master’s degree and 5+ years in statistical programming with SAS/R/Python, plus health data